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Likes: Is there any disadvantage to 35s over 31s, except for cost and weight? What are the advantages? I have 31s but have never even flown 35s and with my new Airframes fuse, they'll send me new 31s, or for a few more bucks, 35s.
Is there any disadvantage to 35s over 31s, except for cost and weight? What are the advantages? I have 31s but have never even flown 35s and with my new Airframes fuse, they'll send me new 31s, or for a few more bucks, 35s.
mike mcs repair liked this post
Don't fly them or you won't want to go back to 31s. 31s have a stiffer sidewall so the tire doesn't contact the brake caliper. Not a problem on 35s because the 10" wheel with 6" brakes. All depends on your budget and mission.
They use different wheels. 6 inch for 31s. 10 inch for 35s for the reason Steve mentioned.
"Put out my hand and touched the face of God!"
The few more bucks will multiply with the cost of the wheels. Definitely heavier. Like 32-33# heavier for the pair. They increase AOA in 3 point and roll over soft and irregular terrain better. I don't notice anymore sidewall flex. You'll need some of Spinner's steps to get on top of them.
I went back to 31's from years of 35's just because I was crawling up rather than stepping up to put gas in. Now that I am a few more years down the road, might be time for 29's
I did NOT see a huge increase in airspeed from the switch.
sj
"Often Mistaken, but Never in Doubt"
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Depends on the mission, some things to think about. Taller tire so harder to get in the plane for old/heavy passengers or pilot. More weight. Need bigger rim. More rolling resistance on the ground. Mass and slower spin up, some say that may help get you on your nose if not ready for it. Appears almost impossible to get the grin off your face. I think I have only seen one pilot go back to 31s, that was because he's son took the 35s for his cub. If you are going to spend any time on tar I would get the extra tread option for a round 200 bucks a tire with either size. No right or wrong just stuff to think about.
DENNY
JeffP thanked for this post
I wanted to keep a set of 6" wheels with 8.50's mounted for skis, and the cost of 10" wheels and 35's wasn't much more than 31's and another set of wheels. Got a set of blemished 35's at a pretty good discount. Oh and the shipping is amazing from airframes, the tires were here in less than 24 hrs. for free! Can't beat that.
Tom
30#s more per set, over my 31s, would be unacceptable to me. But don't they make a lighter set of wheels called Beringer that makes the whole set up a lot lighter but those wheels are big bucks too I think.
The tire difference alone is 12 lbs pre tire. So I don't think the Beringer rim/brake will make it a "lot lighter". You can call bushwheels they should have the weight of the Beringer rim/brake vs bush will assembly. Stewartb may have the numbers.
DENNY
Does Beringer make 10x6.5 wheels?
I never weighed my 31s but they're supposed to be 1 1/2 to 2# heavier than 29s. Mounted 29s incl rotors are 40# each. Mounted 35s are 58.4# each.
You will get less climb performance, and less speed.
Longer step to get into the plane.
Need bigger wheels, and the package weighs more...
Now, on the other side:
AMAZING what you can roll over and not even notice. What used to be a mandatory gear attach inspection hole now does not spill coffee.
I have both 35's and 31's on rims. I have not bothered to switch back to the 31's because of how nice the 35's roll over crap. I am based on dirt, but go to pavement about 1/5 of the time
I don't know where you've been me lad, but I see you won first Prize!
That’s because they use FedEx.Originally Posted by RaisedByWolves
Lou
Every time i get something from them I'm impressed.
8 lbs is what I have in my notes but for some reason I don't have the wheels.
When I get my strip going it will be about a 10% grade, maybe 12% and not very long. Turning back down hill, to taxi back to the bottom where I might put a hanger, bothers me from the standpoint that the tail is "up", via the hill, and at a 10% grade if you hit the brakes, and you have to, the nose over tendency is high but I thought the 2" higher, via the 35s, would shift my CG rearward thusly making it more unlikely that I would nose over. But I am not an aeronautical engineer so I don't really know.
Yep. Don’t have a very good overall pic, but here’s a couple...
Downfall of the beringer 10" wheel, is if your swapping wheels for wheel skis or anything you can't just pull the 10" off and swap the 6". You'd have to swap calipers, un mount the torque plate and all that fun stuff.
The 6" beringer saves .5lbs total over grove carbon cub wheels
i have a used pair coming soon..
So how do you determine how much tread is left on a used Bushwheel?
Just helped a friend swap. This is what we got. New 31" w/extra rubber on Clevelands (6 bolt) w/ brake disc = 47.0 and 46.8
Goodyear 26 on Cleveland w/ brake disc = 30.15 and 32.3 (weighed a couple of times, pretty big split???)
These are both 6.00x6 wheels. The Aluminum weighs - 87.61oz The Magnesium unit weighs - 68.63oz. Over 1 pound per side. Thats pretty cool.
The rotor on the right is a Grove unit that undrilled weighs 45.05oz but I had drilled out and it came in at 41.0oz.
The unit on the left is the Grove drilled unit and it weighs in at 34.2oz. That is a solid 10oz lighter than his standard unit. And boy is the workmanship beautiful.
So....what does all this mean. By switching to the Grove Magnesium wheels and Grove drilled rotors, I was able to upgrade to double puck brakes and still saved 48.76oz or 3 pounds.
This is from a previous post on wheels, more data here....http://www.supercub.org/forum/showth...l=1#post623484
Hope this helps
Bill
Last edited by Bill Rusk; 04-08-2019 at 08:18 AM.
Very Blessed.
Seems counter productive but you can keep the tail down with prop blast.
Glenn
"Optimism is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking the tartar sauce with you!"
What I was thinking, stick back, 1,200 rpm and ride the brakes.
The other way, one I might seriously consider, is a positive attach tow bar. Park where you stop, walk to the tug and tow it down the hill. Please note that I said a positive attach- not a drop through the hole, but one the that locks on the tow rig and the plane.
I don't know where you've been me lad, but I see you won first Prize!
In general when going downhill or trying to stop fast, using only one brake at a time will go a long way in preventing going on your nose. If the wings have the room drive it like a old War bird and slalom down the hill, just let it ground loop if it gets too fast. The big question is making it work with skis. I would avoid any use that combined tires, snow, and steep down grade.
DENNY
Drill a hole in it!
"Put out my hand and touched the face of God!"
One thing I don't love about 35s is the lack of space between the tire and the strut. I often feel like I'm crawling around the tire with my back to the strut.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using SuperCub.Org mobile app
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Psalms 19:1
Alaska Airframes says that to go to 35s I would need to change out my master cyl and brake lines or maybe I misunderstood what needed to be changed to go with the 35s? Also they said the Beringer wheels are about 4 lbs lighter, per side, than the stock 10" wheels. I need new master cylinders anyway and would Beringer's work on my 31s I wonder? If they did then I could go 35s at any time. There is quite a weight penalty however (36 lbs more or so than my 31s). It would be nice to fly a set into a rough strip and feel and experience the difference over the 31s. I remember someone saying that going 35s over the 31s was like going from 850s to 31s. I don't know if that is true or not.
I'd go with 31s, as soon as you buy 35s the will come out with 42s. Weight make a great plane fly like crap as it adds up
Glenn
"Optimism is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking the tartar sauce with you!"
I am bias so be forewarned. Go look at the 5 or 6 cubs setting at Ultima Thule Lodge at an given time. They are all on 35's, they all regularly haul 2 passengers and gear.
They have 160hp cubs and 180hp cubs but they don't use 31" tires for a reason. It use to be a 31 weighed 30-31 pounds and a 35 weighed 39-40 pounds. I think they have gotten heavier (both) so it is probably still similar difference in weight between them. Weight is everything but getting in and out without breaking your airplane is higher on my list. You will never catch me on a 31, in fact I have a brand new set of the 31" radials from when they weighed 31 pounds if anyone is interested.
What are you running for gear? ASOS on a certified cub is a real game changer for both 31 and 35 in wheels, no more bounce.
DENNY
But they are doing it every day. Not a few times a year like the rest of us
Glenn
"Optimism is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking the tartar sauce with you!"
Glen has hit it squarely on the head. The fact of the matter is 99% of the guys that are wanting to pretend they are a " bush pilot" and using Paul Clause as a reference, to what size" they need "for tires is absurd. Reading tundra, glacier conditions, and river bars with soccer ball sized rocks, is never going to something you can learn on here.............. 99% of the movies on youtube of guys landing on river bars in the lower 48 I watch show a few guys landing 1/4 million dollar CC's on 35" tires where, a" good stick "could probably land a C-150; or if not, certainly a Tcraft on 8:50s...... Is pretty pointless.
As soon as the 42" Bushwheel is available that will be "the tire" and the 35" will come off in a heart beat......... This tire thing is getting ridiculous
on here. We flew Airstreaks since the 70's when 99% of lower 48 pilots had never even "seen a pair" of big tires! Even then, Every Dr/Dentist/ Attorney in Anchorage, that had a Cub,(to play guide) got a set of big tires to pretend they were a "bush pilot"; however the only place that they really dared to land, was when they could find tire tracks, were a real pilot had landed. They would spend hours circling ridges and then leave, not sure if you could or not........ The had the tires and belt buckle, ONLY.
So here is the bottom line: If your finding 35" tires soooooo much better than 31" tires, fine and dandy. POST some pics of your plane, in basketball sized rocks were you cant already go on 31" tires ; and then prove it!!###! I am going to take a guess that we wont get this site; bogged down with pics.
As Glen has implyed. Dreaming and doing is two different things......... Big tires are 98% image thing, how many really can utilize them is the 2%
. There are a few guys that need 35" like Paul, that will benifit from 35" tires, but the sad fact is he can also probably land a Cub on an old set of 25x11x4" were most wont land on 35" . Buying a $1000 golf club wont make you Tiger Woods, but it will look good back at the clubhouse!
Hey Turbo Beaver come play for a day with me and your cub on 31" tires and will see if you change your mind. Even better yet bring the Cessna 150 that will even be more fun to watch from the air! I live in the lowly lower 48 so you should not have a problem with your 31" tires and all your years of experience. wink, wink, smile, smile!
I think they used to say the same thing about wrinklewall slicks a few years back. My 31s work just fine at 2psi, no disk on my brakes. Buy what makes you happy.
Glenn
"Optimism is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking the tartar sauce with you!"
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I went to edit my post and lost it somehow and don't feel like writing the whole thing again. I used Paul as a reference but I would guess even Paul would say he could do almost everything thing they do day to day with a 31" tire. The fact is a 35" tire is safer, easier on an airplane gear attach points, hardware, shocks etc.
Most will never need a 35" but if just one time from lack of experience you do you will be glad you had them.
The tire will outlast a 31 by I bet twice the amount of take off and landings because of rolling diameter.
I just retired the first set of 35" tires ever built with probably 20K plus landings, they were not worn out in fact they probably had almost as much tread as they came with 15 years ago. They were checked so bad that the Stan's tire sealant was coming out many places so I decided it was time.
I always thought Alaskan Bushwheels was making a mistake selling the 35" tire because they were going to sell a lot less tires...
Buy whatever floats your boat, both good tires but you cannot really compare the two if you are going to really work a cub.
You can't run that low of pressure and land anything off camber without getting into the tire with the caliper. About 4 to 5 psi is as low and still land a steep off camber spot.
Post a picture of 2 psi on off camber please!
I live in fear they will come out with Airstreaks in a size larger then the 29's, as I will be first in line for a pair! When I went from 26 to 29" Streaks, I was impressed with their greater capability and cush, I'd imagine the same holds true for the 31 v 35 thing. Whether a individual pilot NEEDS that extra margin is a whole nother matter, but it's there. Flying into Afton and Alpine WY. a lot like I do, you'd think 31's are needed for a multi thousand foot long paved strip, as all the Huskys I see there have them! Though no 35's that I've noticed. But I don't see those same dogs on the multiple nearby off airport sites ever. If I had a quarter mil in my plane I wouldn't go to them either I guess.
When you start talking about how big and bad rough and tumble all the strips you go into are tires become only a smaller part of the picture, important, but only a small part. Take fabric/paint and general aircraft condition, Are you going to drag a new 30,000 recover job into a strip with knee to waist high brush? How many alders are you going to drag that new leading edge through? Oh ya lets trim some brush/shrubs with that Cato prop. 35,s can handle it but will the rest of the plane? How much mud/rock do you really want to throw into the prop? If you even think twice about not getting them due to money, don't because unless you only land in wide open spaces the rest of the carnage to the plane is going to cost quite a bit every year. Mission, mission, mission.
DENNY
Wheel land or 3 Point, that is a whole big thread drift! Never ran a Cato and probably never will for the reasons stated above and more. If you are going to land off airport and land in rough stuff (which I do with any airplane I own) you are going to pick stuff up and sometimes it does come off the tires or cut some brush with the propeller, never a problem for me with a metal propeller. Keep the tail high coming into big rocks and it is never a problem landing very rough places with big rocks. People use techniques for the very reasons you stated, tires just another tool, keeping it light another advantage whether on 35" or 31". Bottom line for me is the 35" tire was the best tire made to this point for my mission, not every mission but enough so I am not going to switch tires back and forth.
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